Moving On Up

So as we packed up our old place, the girls and I lovingly wrapped all our nick knacks and furnishings.  Room by room my daughters and I got most of our items all boxed up.  Finally Merida came home and joined in helping us, her rooftop garden being one of the more difficult things to pack. We had to ensure her “babies” wouldn’t get squashed or tumble out of the soil they were packed into.  It was a lot of work, but we finally got the majority of it done.  Except of course, I wouldn’t let my girls into our master bedroom to pack anything.  I mean heaven forbid they find mommy and daddy’s … “toy chest”.  No, Merida and I would come back for our bedroom later.

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Devotion to Love

merida-armand-kissThere is a certain feeling that I get when my wife looks at me, when I feel her mouth on mine, when she bites my lower lip. I cannot put my finger on it, but its not one I feel with any other. My devotion to her is eternal. I’ve never had a love like this; ever.  And I’ve searched for it for my entire life — both my mortal one and my immortal one. I can only hope that my daughters grow up to desire the love their parents’ share and do not settle for anything mediocre, as I had for so long in the past. I can only hope that my son grows up with a clear picture of what a real man should be, a partner to his lady. One that is in it with her, rather than a bystander.  But let’s not talk about my kids dating… no.  Not right now.

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Honeymoon: Mother Russia

Spb_collageAhhh the mother land…  and the splendor that became St. Petersburg, founded by Peter the Great. Leaving Boryspil International Airport in Kiev we arrived Pulkovo Airport in St. Petersburg in roughly 2 hours.  As a private planed marked with the Royal standards of Italia, for our nationality is of Venice, our plane was deposited into the private area of the airport reserved for dignitaries and visiting heads of state.  The red carpets were placed under our feet as we deplaned which still had a somewhat alarming effect on my new bride.  It would take some getting used to. A limousine awaited us as handlers and valets packed our belongings into its trunk and then graciously introduced the driver to us, who opened the door to usher us into the vehicle. Evgeny, our driver, then drove us through the 20 or so miles it takes to get from the airport to our hotel passing through the many canals and rivers that surround St. Petersburg.  “It’s so similar to Venice in a way, except for the machines everywhere.” Merida commented to me. “Ah but my love, St. Petersburg is perhaps 4 or 5 times the size of Venice thus it allows for the roads that sustain the transit of automobiles and the like.” I retorted.

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Honeymoon: Kiev of Memories Past

Collage_of_KievFinally!

We are husband and wife, Merida and I.  And legally so on two planets and 6 nations.  I had whisked my bride away the night after our wedding in Sosaria through the portal to Earth which of course drops us off in the deep underground heart of our Paris compound, the Palisades.  With its underground tunnels, we made our way through to the private airplane that had been commandeered by Marius to fly us anywhere we wished to go.  My beautiful bride wanted so much to see my long lost homeland of Kiev Rus, which is now modern day Kiev, Ukraine.  Ahhhh to be back there, struggling now to remember a young boy named Andrei.  That mortal life had long ago been extinguished and much of it remains a distant, not easily recalled, memory.  But there was nothing I wouldn’t do for my Meri.

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Venice, My First Love

Click to open in full view.When I was just a child of 8 years, my siblings and I were sold into slavery after the death of my father in war.  That is how I ventured from Kievan Rus all the way to the “City of Water” and why I do not readily associate myself with any other city… Venice was my first love from the moment I laid eyes on it as a young boy.  I must say that I owe my rank, my status, and my life to my sire, Marius.  Who rescued me from my captors and showed me the grand life that this magnificent city has to offer.

Upon arrival through the portal in Paris, France we immediately boarded a private plane at the hangar of course, Merida’s only second or third time in such a contraption which I could only describe to her as a flying horse.  Of course she was nervous at first, the take off with all its sounds and lights would surely give anyone that’s hardly ever been around it some anxiety.  But as soon as we were in the air, she relaxed and couldn’t get enough of the view overhead. Luckily, we owned the planes and had them equipped with UV-protected glass. I had instructed the pilot to fly low just so she could take in the opulence of the views below as we made our way through France and over the Italian Alps, which included the mountainous city of Torino. She was overcome with emotion as we circled the city of Venice before preparing to land; something stirred in her as she realized she would now be part of this city and its people. We landed in Venezia Tessera Airport, familiar to her from her trips with Bianca to Earth.  

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The Invitations Are Sent…

merida-armand-invitationsJust got our copy of the invitations that were sent out.  Elegant, beautifully scripted, in the colors my bride had wished for.  Everything seems perfect.  I am very excited to take Merida as my wife, she’s my heart’s desire and my love for her burns eternal.  I hope she doesn’t get too nervous… its only 500+ names on our guest list.  Everything is in motion, and the date approaches quickly.  I hope that Va’lis makes it and that they squash whatever has been vexing them and he understands that whatever Merida tells me in confidence as my wife, I keep to myself.  We keep no secrets from each other…  we’re truly in love.

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A girl’s trip to Earth…

When you think of a wedding, what is the first thing that pops into everyone’s mind? The dress. That’s right, and being that I am now expanding into women’s wear with my already wildly successful children’s wear, I had all the connections that would be needed to ensure that Merida Douglas has the dress of her absolute dreams.  I called in old favors in Venice, Milan, and Rome — houses of the some of the world’s most famous designers.

So I encouraged Merida to come along on a girl’s trip to Earth… she was hesitant at first; having anxiety over the portals to and from Earth.  That magic was one that was mostly Earth-driven, not Sosarian so it did scare Merida a little.  We prepared for the journey.  The portal is almost instant, at least to the traveler’s eyes, but in essence its a 5 hour journey.  Back in the day it used to take over 30 hours; the magic has greatly improved.  But to us it seemed like a wink.  We did however feel the jet lag once we arrived.

The Eiffel Tower, Paris, FranceThe portal from the city of Umbra takes us straight to our Palisades in Paris.  I showed her our compound and the Catacombs underneath, which are very similar to the Catacombs I had shown her before underneath Vamp’s Lair.  She settled in and then we strolled out into this great big world that for her seemed like a storybook tale.  As we ascended up the elevator of the Palais de Chaillot, which has underground tunnels to our Palisades, I could feel the excitement permeating off of Merida and the first thing she ever saw was the grand magnificence of the Eiffel Tower straight ahead just as the dusk set in.  What an introduction to a world she barely remembered!  Her mouth dropped, she stood inhumanely still unable to say a word. Her silvery eyes absorbed every inch of the structure that stood in front of her.

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